Education

Common Core defenders call out misconceptions

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By LAINA STEBBINS
Capital News Service
LANSING — As bills to repeal Common Core school standards move through the Legislature, educators are trying to correct misconceptions they believe may have motivated the legislation. The Common Core state standards – which set out what K-12 students should know at specific grade levels – were implemented across Michigan after the State Board of Education’s unanimous approval in 2010. The proposal would terminate the current academic standards and replace them with standards used by Massachusetts schools from 2008-2009. Supporters of the repeal, including 29 House members, say this switch would bring Michigan up to par with Massachusetts’ consistently high educational attainment scores – although after 2009, that state did join Michigan and 43 other states in implementing Common Core standards. Rep. Gary Glenn, R-Midland, the House bill’s main sponsor, said he is unsatisfied with assessment data results under Michigan’s Common Core standards.

Education

Common Core challenges teachers — old and new

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By BROOKE KANSIER
Capital News Service
LANSING — Common Core standards are not only changing education for K-12 teachers, but for university students who want to become educators. The new standards – coupled with a tougher entrance exam – are making it harder for college students to get into teacher training programs. Meanwhile, current teachers have to adjust their lessons to Common Core standards, which were adopted by the state Board of Education in 2010. “This has been our concern for a while — how prepared are our schools, districts and teachers to align with the Common Core?” said Steve Cook, president of the Michigan Education Association, the state’s largest teacher’s union. For college students aspiring to be teachers, one of the most difficult parts of the process might be just getting into a program. In 2013, the Michigan Department of Education created a new entrance exam that students are required to pass before being accepted into a teaching program.

Education

MSU program helps teachers fill textbook gaps

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By BROOKE KANSIER
Capital News Service
LANSING — Many K-8 math textbooks are missing crucial elements: the subject’s required lessons under the Common Core education standards. A Michigan State University study of mathematics textbooks found that among 185 textbooks and 34 textbook series, only seven included all materials required under national Common Core standards. Researchers studied textbooks used by other Common Core states as well as books marketed as Common Core-aligned. These results were backed up by a recent study from nonprofit EdReports.org, which found similar results — 17 of the 20 textbooks studied were missing important Common Core lessons. Michigan schools are still working on completely implementing the recently adopted state standards.